How to plan for your proposal

Ladies and gentlemen, gathered here today on Diamond Dealer Direct, relax – we know that you have a lot of pressure to live up to when it comes to popping the question. Films, TV shows, songs, and all manner of high profile celebrity proposals have stacked the deck against you. It seems the 2015 proposer has to overwhelm the proposee with a garland of flowers, a 100 strong flash mob, and a ring with a diamond the size of a cherry being brought down by a man on a jetpack.

Fear not, everybody. A proposal needn’t be loud, extravagant, or even well choreographed. There are thousands of ways to ask the love of your life to marry you, all that matters is that it is just that little bit special. So we have compiled a list of suggestions that can help you en route to the big day, and the big question. These won’t apply to everyone, but they are a good basis from which to set out on your voyage.

Step 1: Getting permission

“This is old fashioned”. “This is pointless, I know the parents like me”. “Who cares if they approve”. These are the usual responses when the age old tradition of gaining their parents permission is approached. While it may have lost a lot of significance, it can actually be a nice addition to the proceedings.

After they have said yes, you can show them the video of their parents giving you their permission. If you have kids already, filming their reaction can go down even better (if they can be trusted to keep a secret).

Step 2: The ring

In our trading history, Diamond Dealer Direct have come across every ring faux pas imaginable. So trust our advice – don’t worry about cost, and focus on significance. A ring that means something will go down much better than a ring that cost stacks of money. If she has always spoke of her love of princess cut diamonds, or rings with emeralds embedded on the ring, then seek one out.

When it comes to getting the right side, try to seek out advice from friends and family. Their parents and close friends may be able to suss out ring size better than you can, without raising suspicions, or they may already know it. If all else fails but you don’t want to tip them off, see if they leave any rings (preferably ones they have worn recently or that they wear on their ring finger) lying around most of the time, and take it down to a jeweller. They can work out the size, and you can then return the ring with your partner none the wiser.

Step 3: The proposal

Our most “against the norm” tip for proposing is to get it done early into the evening. Traditionally, the night of the proposal will be all geared towards building up to the question being popped. This works fine, but it means the proposer is in for a night of nerves and tension. If you want to avoid that, pop the question fairly early on, leaving the rest of the night free to enjoy with your new fiancé.

If you can ask at a location of significance, that would be ideal. Going to places of amazing natural beauty is great, but it can mean just as more getting down on one knee at the restaurant at which you first met, or at the place you first told them that you loved them. Any way you can evoke the feeling of nostalgia or things coming “full circle” is sure to go over well.

And when they’ve said yes, party! If you can keep things quiet and get organised, it might be worthwhile having you family and friends nearby so they can pop out as a big surprise. Then you can drink and dance the night away with your friends and family at your impromptu engagement party.

Again, these tips aren’t meant for everyone. Some people will want the Hollywood engagement, whereas others will want a more intimate, quiet affair. Whatever makes the night special is up to you. Just keep in mind the basics you really should always nail, and your night will hopefully be everything you have ever wished it would be.